The National tribune., 1887-01-06
WIDOWS AND ORPHANS.
The Nations Duty Toward These Unfortunate Ones

The NatiOu's Duty Toward These Unfortunate Ones.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: / would like
TO call the attention of comrades, Congressman
and all of those having influence TO the subject
of widows and orphans pensions. There are
at present several thousand widows and Or
phans of deceased soldiers who are not entitled
TO pensions under the existing laws Their
husbands or fathers did not die of disease con-
tracted or resulting from their military service,
or, if they did, it is impossible TO prove 1t TO
the satisfaction of the Department alter such
lapse of time. These poor women are 10 be
found i'm every town and city in large num-
bers. They live in huts and old houses on the
hillsides and in the valleys Of the rural dis
tricts. They exc out, in many instances,
scanty living by washing and doing other
mental service for their well-to-dO neighbors
If the mothers health fails, she is taken over
the hill 10 the poorhouse and the children are
either parceled out TO families who need q
drudge or taken TO some charitable institution.
These people derive as much consolation from
the starry flag as Whittier's unfortunate pris-
oner for debt And yet the husband and father
was a soldier, did his duty TO his country and
all that The Government he helped TO save
has money by the hundred million stored in
its vaults, and yet no one having power or in
huence has raised his voice for their relief
Gen. GrOsyenor, Member of Congress from this
District IN answer 10 an appeal from poor
widow, says in letter 10 the writer, That
he has not the heart 10 answer this poor woman
and tell her that the present pension laws afford
her no relief; that he secs no immediate pros
pect for the passage of any such law" etc. Col.
Conger says, in letter 10 the writer THAT L
believe that we are growing strong enough TO
make a concentrated movement upon the Ma
tional Congress in this very direction" In
the name Of all that is patriotic, all that is
charitable all that is manly, how much
strength, how much concentration, how much
movement does it require TO be decent and
manly and just.
Every Both of May we meet and scatter flow
eTs over the graves Of our deceased comrades,
Those low green tents
Whose curtains never outward swing,
Orators and statesmen eulogize the services Of
the deceased, and Grand Army Posts parade
the streets with the conscious pride Of having
saved the life Of the Nation. But when il is
all over the widow of the comrade we have just
glorihed returns TO her needle or her wash-tub,
and the orphan TO his homeless place Of refuge.
How long this is TO continue / know not.
These poor women have no votes, no influence T;
they can neither set up delegation OF scratch
a ticket and possibly they will have TO wait.
Comrades are crowding the Pension Office with
their claims, and are watchful that no enemy
Of the soldier gets their support. But the wild
ows and orphans who are in the most need and
should receive the first relief, are ignored not
only in Congress but in Grand Army circles.
This should not be so. Every Post Of the
Grand Army should by resolution ask Congress
10 pass an act giving the widow and orphan
child Of every deceased soldier, without regard
Go the cause Of such soldiers death, the usual
widows aud orphans pension. They should
ask by their resolution that Congress do this
at once, by separate bill; and they should
watch this legislation, and if any Member OF
Congress attempted to delay or smother such
act by amendments or otherwise, he should be
marked as unworthy TO represent any loyal peo.
pie, and ispolitical exit should be prayed for by
all true comrades. Congress can act upon this
at once, and there should be no squeamishness
NO by play, but an honest, earnest effort to be
grateful, just and manly toward the worthy and
needy heirs of our deceased comrades.-RoB'I
ii. BREWSTER, Commander, Post 54s, Pome-
roy, Ohio.